Took the beamer 3 to the wildwood beach but the wind felt too strong. It was the first time I had the kite out so I didn't want to chance it. Besides a quick phone told me that the wind speed was 25 miles an hour,,, I think too fast for me to start off with besides setting it up in that wind. Took it home and my side yard was actually big enough to fly. It was pretty cool once I got it going. Had control alittle,, fluffed alot. Any tips suggestions? I have seen in videos the kite standing verticle,, when does that happen, is it when the kite is moving as when on the buggy and moving forward? Anyway it was pretty cool,, felt alittle power here and there.

Yup, kite being vertical only really happens 2 times, one when flying static and whipping the kite through the middle of the window, two, in a buggy or on a board when traveling in one direction, you can lower the kite and lock it in place if you have enough wind.

I suspect what is going on is that the houses and such around your yard are messing the wind up. You need LOTS of space downwind of any tall object or the wind will be swirly. Try to look at the wind as water and think about how it should be flowing along.
The Swirly wind explains why your kite kept lufting + why it wouldn't hang at the edge of the window ( or at zenith ).
It sounds like maybe you need to understand the wind window. Think about how the back side of your kite relates to the wind. In an arc from Zenith ( above your head ) down either side the wind passes right under the bottom so creates almost no pull, it should just sit there comfortably anyplace along the edge in a proper clean wind. If the kite is low and in front of you ( straight downwind ) the whole of the bottom of the kite is getting hit full on. That's maximum pull and in between is... in between. Also, try to antisipate your turn and start it a bit before you get to the edge of the window or you will overfly it.

It's good to hear you use common sense in deciding when to go for it or not. It's always better to live for another day. Find the right spot and you'll have a lot more fun next time.

Oh, Maybe Pab's answered your question. When you see folks riding and the kite is "set" that is the kite sitting at the edge of the window and creating just the right amount of power to head upwind.

Hey guys,, thanks, alot of good info... I have been reading up on flying for about a month now but still reading about it and actually doing it is somewhat different. Thanks for the tips about the wind window,, I had read about it and had a basic understanding but like you said I was over flying the window to either side I guess because I was hyped up on even getting it into the air. Anticipate the turns, wind swriling etc . Hope to get back out Saturday, will try the beach again. Hopefully in about a month I will get the buggy.

Yeah, smart to wait for good wind. Flying overpowered is no fun and what's the point of that? Your sweet spot for getting aquainted with a 3 meter Beamer (or is that a B III of some other size?) will be a 3-3.5 Bft. or about 8-12 kts. In steady coastal beach wind, you will be able to fly it to the edge of the window and park it vertical all day long. You will be able to put the wingtip in the outstretched hand of an observer at the edge of the window and scratch their palm.
(I'm not suggesting you fly that close to people all the time, but it's a fun thing to try with an informed observer who knows to stand clear otherwise)

Quote:

[. You will be able to put the wingtip in the outstretched hand of an observer at the edge of the window and scratch their palm. (I'm not suggesting you fly that close to people all the time, but it's a fun thing to try with an informed observer who knows to stand clear otherwise)

Practice bringing the kite up and down the edge of the window and holding it near the ground. In big wind you get your helper to " catch " the kite as he stands at one edge or the other so this is great practice. Learn to fly the kite " BLIND " .

Joecat, What kind of buggy are you getting? Hope to ride with you sometime later at Wildwood beach. When wind is right, there is nothing like riding along the Wildwood beach........except NABX :D - Brian

Quote:

Originally posted by leebrianh Joecat, What kind of buggy are you getting? Hope to ride with you sometime later at Wildwood beach. When wind is right, there is nothing like riding along the Wildwood beach........except NABX :D - Brian

and Dbbb in November..............aj

Hey Guys,, again thanks for the responses. That is what I am looking for, alot of good tips,, do's and don'ts. Hey Brian, I got the kite from Windsofchange and kent was suggesting the Peter Lynn Big foot. Which makes sense for our beach in Wildwood,, you would know that better than I because you have ridden on our beach. Sure I am familar with the sand because I lived here all my life but I haven't tried to ride a buggy on it yet. Like I said I figure about a month of learning to control the kite and then I will get the buggy so I can get some time down there before the crowds of bathers start coming in for the summer season. It would be alot better having other people to ride with especially people that know what they are doing.

Joe, I don't know how soon you need a buggy but I have Flexifoil buggy and Libre Full Race (on its way) both with wide tires (not bigfoot) you can try out. Hope to see you sometime in April. - Brian

Smart decision Joecat and your hooked now!

Sunday March 25th, Got the kite out again. This time in a bigger field, had pleanty of room around me. Had a better idea of the wind window. Was able to set up and launch by myself alot easier. The wind was a bit stronger than the other day and I felt it a few times where the power was strong, actually had to let go of handles one time. I felt as if my control was better,, I was able to hold it in the zenith better and put the breaks on when it started to get behind me and bring it back in front. I held it at the edge of the window in a verticle hold for a short time but the wind was not steady enough I guess or maybe I was too close to the edge. But it was alot different from the other day and alot more fun. Its diffently a work out.

Question: If the kite does a 360 and the lines get twisted, do you have to untwist them right away? If the lines are crossed will the breaks still have effect? And how do you untwist them without bringing the kite down. Can you just twist your body to untwist the lines? Thanks for your anticipated responses.

No, yes, and yes.

No harm, no fowl to twist your lines, Everything will work fine with a twist or two or three, but you will want to untwist them sooner than later to resore the normal feel and response that you are used to. If you remember the direction of the twist, you can fly them out with a reverse twist. I'm lazy so I just dance on my feet and untwist them with a spin of my body as you guessed.

Twist and shout!

Thanks for the info Angus. I will try that next time. I had my nephew with me today when I was flying. He is sixteen,, I let him try the kite out a few times. He really liked it and was surprized that a "kite" could be so powerfull. I have him interested in the kites and posible buggying later but he asked if there was a smaller size kite for him that would not be so powerfull. I explained that the wind speed had alot to do with the power today but also there were smaller kites. If I was to suggest a smaller kite, that could be used for buggying later, what would be a good suggestion?

Is the kite surface area 3 meters square? If so you can just get a kite a meter smaller and use it on high wind days.

Susan

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PKD Brooza's 2, 3, 4 and 5.5 meters
Libre V-max and big foot light V-max buggys
Nasa wings

Yeah, as Susan said, a smaller maybe 2 or 2 1/2 meter may be less intimidating and later will make a nice high wind kite. Remember though that when you put the kite into forward motion in a bug, the dynamics change and the kite is less powerful. That is because when you move in a bug, the wind you feel, the apparent wind, moves foward to blowing more in your face, which in turn means the wind window shifts from to your downwind side to more behind you. So as your kite is to your downwind side and slightly ahead of you to pull you, it is actaully at the very edge of the window where it is less powerful.
On the ohter hand, the first time you get going in the bug with a good wind, the pucker factor goes way up and nothing seems under powered.
But a smaller kite in higher wind is easier to learn to buggy with than a larger kite in gentle wind, since it is easier to keep the lines taught in a turn.

Later you will want a 5 meter for lighter wind days.

Thanks Angus and Susan,, good info. joe

Anyone have a solution for this? You are flying the kite and it crashes. Lands upside down, any way to get the kite right side up and flying again without having to stake your handles and go flip the kite manually? Any tricks?

Sure. a 4-line kite will revers launch. The kite is upside down so the controls are reversed. Pull on the brakes hard and the kite will back off the ground and likely start to turn one way or another. When it is up over one span high, relax the brakes and pull sharp on the power line that is highest and the kite will fly out uprright.

You have a 50-50 chance of a twist but you can do a dance for that.

thanks Angus

joe

Hey Angus, Got the kite out again on the beach this time. Tried the brake launch,,, worked like a charm. I was able to spin it up right also. Had much better control this time.. I am starting to get the hang of it. Thanks again.

Cool!

A 3M kite is a high wind kite, I don't even pull out my small kites IE: 3M Legend or 2.5 Century till the winds hit 20 mph. You need to learn to match your kite too wind speed you will find they perform way better turning and other issues disappear.
Heading out today its 12 to 15 mph winds and I'm using 1 7.2M Samurai

Cheers:saint:

I can see that, had the 4.8m Combat out in 18-22mph winds, by 22 the pucker factor was immense. Today the winds are near 30mph, probably put up a 2m Buster I to start, if that's a little low on power then I'll go with a 3m Brooza.

Two days ago at the same park I couldn't get a ride out of my 13m.

Hey, does anyone know of any place,, internet etc. that I can get some good Kite buggying videos. I have seen alot of them on Youtube and google but I have pretty much seen all that was out on those.

Try these:

http://www.kite-buggiers.co.uk/_videos/

http://flexifoil.com/downloads/videos.php

http://www.world-of-kites.de/media/media_item.php?mm_id=1

http://www.powerkite.net/forumSM/index.php?PHPSESSID=44885b0...

http://pic7.piczo.com/Popeyethewelder/?g=13283823&cr=7


Want More ?

Hey, Thanks Snowbird, I will check them out. Joe

I checked out just the first link and the videos were some of the best I have seen so far. Thanks. Another question. On different websites and such I seen mentioning of Insurance,,, what is this all about.. I assume they are talking about some type of liability ins. Does anyone have that,, is it necessary,,,, and if so where would one purchase such ins. how much does it cost on the average? Alot questions here......... Thanks.

In Great Britian and maybe other parts of Europe. The sport has a longer history and larger following. They have ended up having to regulate them selves in order to keep flying locations open. That means insurance and closed beaches.
IKO offers insurance for North America but I don't know of any riding locations that require it yet. Although many kite beaches have been shut down.
We need to learn from what's going on overseas and on the beaches locally . One big mistake by any of us can effect kiting for all of us !!!!

At www.skypilotkiteboarding.com we have a post that we throw the good videos in. I got those all from there and there is more. It's under the link "videos post away" , I think.